Perks beat out five other candidates, winning nearly 55 per cent of the vote. Charmain Emerson finished in second with 32 per cent.

Perks ran as the NDP candidate in the 2006 federal election in Toronto’s Davenport riding, losing to Liberal MP Mario Silva. A few months later, he won the race for Ward 14 in the municipal election. He won in 2010 with over 50 per cent of the vote. Perks backed Olivia Chow in Toronto’s mayoral race.